Watch with adjustable time-dependent signal transmission

ABSTRACT

A watch, especially a wristwatch, with adjustable time-dependent signal transmission and an indicator adjustable to random time positions of the watch dial for determining or fixing the signal time point. An electronically operated storage is provided which has individual storage elements each associated with a predetermined time position. Upon actuation of a switch the time position indicated by the indicator can be extinguishably registered at the relevent or corresponding storage element and when the watch movement reaches the time position associated with such storage element there is triggered transmission of the signal.

United StateS Patent 11 1 Spadini Dec. 4, 1973 WATCH WITH ADJUSTABLE 1,019,193 3 1912 Schneider et a1. 58/19 R x TIME DEPENDEN'T SIGNAL 1,128,751 2/1915 Brown 58/19 R TRANSMISSION Paolo Spadini, 78 av. Leopo1d Robert, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland Filed: Sept. 5, 1972 Appl. No.: 286,815

Inventor:

[1.8. CI. 58/57.5, 58/19 A, 58/38 Int. CL. G04b 23/12, G040 21/16, G040 21/34 Field of Search 58/16.5, 19, 38,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS .2/1966 Hoffman et al. 58/19 R X 8/1896 Lipscomb 58/19 R Primary ExaminerGeorge H. Miller, Jr. Attorney-Wemer W. Kleeman storage elements each associated with a predetermined time position. Upon actuation of a switch the time position indicated by the indicator can be extinguishably registered at the relevent or corresponding storage element and when the watch movement reaches the time position associated with such storage element there is triggered transmission of the signal.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures WATCH WITH ADJUSTLE TIME-DEPENDENT SIGNAL TRANSMISSION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a watch having adjustable time-dependent signal transmission.

Alarm clocks, also in the form of Wristwatches, in which it is possible to adjust a signal time point within a period of time of 12 or 24 hours are known to the art. Furthermore, there are known to the art control or switching clocks and master clocks in which a number of signal time points can be adjusted within the aforementioned time span. As a general rule, this occurs by adjusting or employing cams or mandrels for actuating contacts. The first group of clocks possess the drawback that they only permit a single signal time point and the second group of clocks possess the drawback that they require large mechanisms and therefore large dimensional size as well as cumbersome adjustment or setting operations.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Hence, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and improved construction of watch of small dimension, specially a wristwatch, which permits setting a very large number of signal time points with a most simple adjustment.

Another and more specific object of the present invention relates to a new and improved constructionof watch, especially a wristwatch, having an adjustable time-dependent signal transmission and an indicator element adjustable to random time positions of the dial for fixing the signal time point in such a manner that a multiplicity of signal time points can be recorded without mechanical devices, so that the dimensional size of the watch can be decisively reduced and sealing of the watch against penetration of water and foreign contaminants such as dust can be rendered easier.

Now in order to implement these and still further objects of the invention, which will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, there is contemplated the construction of a watch according to the invention in which there is provided anelectronically operated storage, the individual storage elements of which are always associated with a predetermined time position. Upon actuation of a switch the time position indicated by the indicator element can be extinguishably recorded at the relevant or corresponding storage element and upon the watch movement reaching the time position associated with such storage element there is triggered the transmission of a signal.

In this regard it is advantageous to construct the storage elements for the purpose of further reducing the dimensional size of the watch at least partially of semiconductor circuits as such are known in the data processing art. Particularly advantageous constructions can be realized it the storage is designed as an integrated circuit, as such is well known from different fields of application in the electronics art.

For increasing the possibility of use of such watch it is advantageous to provide a circuit which enables selectively extinguishing the information at the individual storage elements both collectively as well as individually. In the same sense it is also advantageous to differently program the signal type at different signal time points by means of a further storage, so that already from the nature or type of each individual signal there can be ascertained its particular significance. The second storage can, for instance, serve the purpose of programming the signals ahead of time in the manner of a repetition watch.

It is further of advantage to power the storage and the signal transmitter by means of a current source installed at the watch, as such is well known for electronically operated watch movements and sound transmitters, wherein such current source can simultaneously function as the energy storage for the watch movement.

The watch movement, storage and signal transmitter are advantageously encapsulated or housed in a waterproof casing. This is possible because of the advantages realized with the invention since for adjustment and programming no other mechanical devices are required than the known pull, push or adjustment shafts or axles departing laterally from the watch casing and which do not impair the water-tightness thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above, will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an alarm wristwatch or wrist alarm clock illustrated in a semi-transparent" manner;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the watch depicted in. FIG. 1, taken substantially along the line IIII thereof, but shown enlarged in height; and

FIG. 3 is a simplified circuit diagram of a storage and its connection with the indicator element i.e. the hour indicator.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Describing nowthe drawings, in FIGS. 1 and 2 there is illustrated a wristwatch 10, the visible components of which are essentially the same as in a conventional watch, namely a watch movement 11 with an hour hand or indicator l2 and a minute hand or indicator 13 arranged above a dial 1 4 and ridgedly connected for rotation via associated axles or shafts with the respective hour recording and minute recording wheel of the watch movement 1 1. It is to be recognized that in FIG. 1 the hour hand or indicator 12 is located in a position indicating ten and the minute hand or indicator I3 is in a position indicating two,." whereas in FIG. 2, for reasons which will be more fully explained hereinafter, both hands 12, 13 are located at the position indicating three.

The watch movement 11 can be a spring mechanism with automatic or hand-winding or, as in the illustrated embodiment, can be an electronic movement wherein as the energy or power storage there are provided one or two small batteries 15. In FIG. 1 the mounting or receiving compartment for the batteries 15 have been indicated by phantom line 16.

A In the embodiment under consideration there is employed as the visible indicator element an adjustment indicator 17 which is rotatably secured at a bushing or sleeve 18 which, in turn, is rotatably mounted at the dial l4 and is insulated with regard to the hour indicator shaft 19. The outer end of the adjustment indicator 17 is secured in a rotatable ring 20 which, as best seen by referring to FIG. 2, simultaneously serves as the setting for the dial. Ring 20 carries at its lower face a gear rim 21 which meshes with a pinion 22 which, in turn, is rigidly connected for rotation with a rotary knob or adjustment 'crown 23. The adjustment indicator 17 therefore is rotated from the outside.

At the face or side opposite the visible part of the dial 14 there is secured to the bushing 18 a contact arm 24. This contact arm 24 thus rotates together with the adjustment indicator 17 in the event that the latter is rotated. The contact arm 24 during its rotation wipingly moves across a contact track which has been indicated in phantom lines at 26 in the showing of FIG. 1 and constitutes a selector switch element.

Now at the hour wheel shaft 19 there is likewise secured a contact arm 25, the free end of which during rotation of the hour hand or indicator 12 also rotates and thus wipingly moves across a contact track which has been indicated by phantom lines referenced by numeral 27 in FIG. 1.

The contact tracks 26 and 27 form a component of an integrated circuit 28 carried by the dial 14 at its face or side confronting the movement 11. Further details regarding the integrated circuit 28 will be considered hereinafter in conjunction with the explanation of FIG. 3, It forms the main component of the storage mounted at the watch 10.

FIG. 1 illustrates that this integrated circuit 28 is subdivided into forty-eight sectors 29. Each of these sectors, measured with regard to the movement of the minute indicator 13, is thus associated with one-quarter of an hour. Each such sector 29 contains, designed in accordance with integrated circuit technology, a conventional semi-conductor storage element, the read-in conductor of which is connected with a contact segment of the contact track 26 and the read-out conductor of which is connected with a contact segment of the contact track 27.

Reference numeral 30 purely schematically indicates the mounting compartment for the signal generator or transmitter which can be a miniaturized buzzer device 31 or the like (FIG. 3), as for instance of the type disclosed in German Patent Publication 1,929,881.

Now in FIG. 3 there is schematically illustrated the essential part of the electronic storage circuit which is installed at the watch 10. There will be recognized the contact arm 24 which together with the adjustment indicator 17 can be rotated by means of the adjustment crown 23 and wipingly contacts the contact track 26, as indicated by the double-headed arrow 32. Each of the contacts of this contact track 26 is connected with a storage element 1, 2, 3, 4, and so forth of the fortyeight storage elements of the integrated circuit. A common adjustment or set conductor 33 leads to each of the storage elements 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc. and which can be energized via an adjustment contact 34 defining a readin switch.

Leading from each storage element 1', 2, 3, 4, 5 etc. to the contact track 27 is a read-out contact which is wipingly contacted by the sweeping read-out contact arm 25 which, in turn, is driven by the watch movement in the direction of the arrow 35. This contact arm 25 is additionally connected with the signal transmitter3l.

Finally, a common re-setting conductor 36 leads to each of these storage elements and can be energized through the agency of a re-set contact 37.

Now at the storage the information, namely the time sequence of the desired signal time points, is stored as follows: the adjustment indicator l7 and together therewith the contact arm 24 is brought to the desired signal time point i.e. to the read-in contact of the storage element associated with such desired signal time point. By actuating the contact 34 the relevant storage element is then placed into a condition which corresponds to the information I.

Then if the contact arm 25, during its revolving movement, arrives at the read-out contact of a storage element which is at the condition I then the signal transmitter is activated provided that such is connected by means of a non-illustrated main switch via the storage element which is set to the condition of information I with the current source. The signal then can be switched-off by means of such main switch.

Extinguishing the information takes place analogous to its storage with the difference that the re-set contact 37 is activated which then re-sets the switched-in storage element back into the condition 0.

Those skilled in this particular art will recognize from the above discussion that as storage elements there can be particularly suitably employed bistable multivibrators equipped with semiconductor elements or socalled flip-flops which in accordance with the known technology of integrated circuits can be miniaturized to such a degree that 60, 96 or in fact 144 storage elements can be readily arranged beneath a standard dial in one or two circles, rendering possible a more precise or finer sub-division of the selectable time points of all 12,7 A and all 5 minutes.

Now in FIG. 1 there is shown a further knob 38. This knob 38 serves to actuate the contacts 34 and 37 which are preferably assembled together into a three-position switch. At the central position (normal position of the knob 38) both contacts 34 and 37 are open, in the one terminal position (knob 38 pressed-in or actuated) the contact 34 is closed and the contact 37 open, whereas in the other terminal position (knob 38 pulled-out) the contact 34 is open and the contact 37 is closed.

The already mentioned main switch for switching-in and switching-out the signal transmitter 31 is advantageously coupled with the adjustment crown 23 which, for instance, closes the main switch in the full-line position of FIG. 1.

The crown 39 illustrated in FIG. 1 serves for adjusting the hour indicator or hand 12 and the minute indicator or hand 13 in the manner of a conventional watch as well as for also tightening the spring in the event that the watch movement is a spring mechanism with a hand-winding device.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims. ACCORD- INGLY,

What is claimed is:

1. A watch, especially a wristwatch, with adjustable time-dependent signal transmission, comprising a watch movement and a watch dial, an indicator element adjustable to random time positions of the watch dial for determining a signal time point, electronically operated storaged means having individual storage elements, said individual storage elements each being associated with a predetermined time position, switch means incorporating a first selector switch element which when actuated addresses a selected one of the storage elements, said switch means further incorporating a read-in switch for setting said selected one of the storage elements, said switchmeans further including a sweeping read-out contact means moving in unison with the watch movement and disposed to sequentially scan the storage elements, so that when said read-out contact means scans the set storage element there is released a signal for energizing a signal generator.

2. The watch as defined in claim 1, wherein said storage means includes input and output conductors, said dial being designed as support for said storage means and said input and output conductors.

3. The watch as defined in claim 1, further including a signal generator, a current source mounted at the watch for supplying energy to the storage means and the signal generator.

4. The watch means as defined in claim 1, wherein said storage elements are at least partially formed of semiconductor circuits.

5. The watch as defined in claim 4, wherein the storage means is designed as an integrated circuit.

6. A watch, especially a wristwatch, with adjustable time-dependent signal transmission, comprising a watch movement and a watch dial, an indicator element adjustable to random time positions of the watch dial for determining a signal time point, electronically operated storage means having individual storage elements, said individual storage elements each being associated with a predetermined time position, switch means which when actuated extinguishably records at the relevant storage element the time position indicated by the indicator element and when the watch movement reaches the time position associated with the relevant storage element triggers the transmission of a signal, and circuit means for selectively collectively or individually extinguishing the information at the storage elements.

7. A watch, especially a wristwatch, with adjustable time-dependent signal transmission, comprising a watch movement and a watch dial, an indicator element adjustable to random time positions of the watch dial for determining a signal'time point, electronically operated storage means having individual storage elements, said individual storage elements each being associated with a predetermined time position, switch means which when actuated extinguishably records at the relevant storage element the time position indicated by the indicator element and when the watch movement reaches the time position associated with the relevant storage element triggers the transmission of a signal, and additional storage means associated with said storage means, said additional storage means serving for differently programming the signal sequences in different signal time points. 

1. A watch, especially a wristwatch, with adjustable timedependent signal transmission, comprising a watch movement and a watch dial, an indicator element adjustable to random time positions of the watch dial for determining a signal time point, electronically operated storaged means having individual storage elements, said individual storage elements each being associated with a predetermined time position, switch means incorporating a first selector switch element which when actuated addresses a selected one of the storage elements, said switch means further incorporating a read-in switch for setting said selected one of the storage elements, said switch means further including a sweeping read-out contact means moving in unison with the watch movement and disposed to sequentially scan the storage elements, so that when said read-out contact means scans the set storage element there is released a signal for energizing a signal generator.
 2. The watch as defined in claim 1, wherein said storage means includes input and output conductors, said dial being designed as support for said storage means and said input and output conductors.
 3. The watch as defined in claim 1, further including a signal generator, a current source mounted at the watch for supplying energy to the storage means and the signal generator.
 4. The watch means as defined in claim 1, wherein said storage elements are at least partially formed of semiconductor circuits.
 5. The watch as defined in claim 4, wherein the storage means is designed as an integrated circuit.
 6. A watch, especially a wristwatch, with adjustable time-dependent signal transmission, comprising a watch movement and a watch dial, an indicator element adjustable to random time positions of the watch dial for determining a signal time point, electronically operatEd storage means having individual storage elements, said individual storage elements each being associated with a predetermined time position, switch means which when actuated extinguishably records at the relevant storage element the time position indicated by the indicator element and when the watch movement reaches the time position associated with the relevant storage element triggers the transmission of a signal, and circuit means for selectively collectively or individually extinguishing the information at the storage elements.
 7. A watch, especially a wristwatch, with adjustable time-dependent signal transmission, comprising a watch movement and a watch dial, an indicator element adjustable to random time positions of the watch dial for determining a signal time point, electronically operated storage means having individual storage elements, said individual storage elements each being associated with a predetermined time position, switch means which when actuated extinguishably records at the relevant storage element the time position indicated by the indicator element and when the watch movement reaches the time position associated with the relevant storage element triggers the transmission of a signal, and additional storage means associated with said storage means, said additional storage means serving for differently programming the signal sequences in different signal time points. 